This Is the Best Career Advice We've Heard in a While (It's Only 2 Sentences)

When you're out doing your work up to 60 hours a week, it's a bit difficult to find time for career advice. Which is why we were particularly intrigued by Sheryl Sandberg's pithy two-sentence zinger that got straight to the heart of professional success.

When speaking at a recent event at Airbnb, the COO of Facebook was asked the following question: "What's the number one thing you look for in someone who can scale with a company?" Sandberg's response: "Someone who takes feedback well. Because people who can take feedback well are people who can learn and grow quickly."

In other words, someone who understands the value in making mistakes (and isn't afraid to admit them) has a better chance of succeeding, both personally and professionally. "Most criticism is rooted in truth—even if it's not delivered in an ideal manner," writes Inc. of Sandberg's advice. "When you're on the receiving end of criticism, you're left with two choices: You can put your feelings aside and try to learn from the situation, or you can get angry and let emotion get the best of you."

When on the receiving end of constructive feedback, they recommend asking yourself two questions: How can I use this feedback to help me or my team improve? and Putting my personal feelings aside, what can I learn from this alternate perspective? Doing so balances emotions with reason and can help you evolve a negative experience into a positive one.